Love this so much. It is me doing weepy glees today. I love the comment about eradicating cooties! How do new kids even know this term?
Love, love the smile breaking apart the whole cotton-picking world.
And am so very grateful the VERY LOUD band sent you on to this place so we could be in that wonderful moment as well.
Sandy in the UK

A gift held in the hands comes and goes, but a gift held in the heart, mind, and ears stays. You gave her a special gift…..one of words which just may be read to her.
Thank you, Sean, for your gift to all of us.

Love this. Shouldn’t this spur us on to always be so humble, thankful, excited about every gift we receive? And then be compelled to give as well…with abandon, expecting nothing in return but gleeful appreciation? Thank you.

I wonder how many people might have left the Mexican restaurant and its noisy, kid-birthday-party atmosphere after about three seconds, and headed on over to the joint up the road, siting down in happy satisfaction as the Nuclear Noise swallowed them whole?

I wonder how many people who stayed in the Mexican restaurant might have done their darnedest to ignore the birthday hubbub, completely missing what you documented so beautifully?

I wonder what it is that makes you notice precious moments like the birthdays of princesses, Sean, and capture them for others to read. I don’t know, for sure, but I’m so glad that you do.

Thank you for another sweet tear jerker post. It brings back such memories. My youngest brother was mentally challenged ( is that the politically correct description these days?) But he was the sweetest, most loving child you would ever find. He loved every one and gave the best hugs. When you would say, “I love you, Mark”, he would say I love you more. We would go back and forth saying how much we loved the other, until he would throw his arms wide and say, “But I love YOU this much”. We always let him win. There’s a novelty statuette showing someone in that pose and it says, “I love you this much!” Every time I see one in a store, I think of Mark. He died in a drowning accident in 1974. Even after all this time, I cannot see a special needs child without being reminded.

Thank you Sean, today marks the death of my sister in law Janet, who we had custody for 21 years after my husband’s parents passed away. She was Down’s with a 4th grade mentality at 66 years old. We always had her here at beach, as her parents did, for her birthdays in July! Gosh, she loved her birthdays! Her smiles penetrated our hearts on HER DAY!!!

I can just see that “Princess Pink” excitedly opening her gifts, exclaiming over each one as if it was the BEST present she’d ever received. What pure joy! What a gift you gave us, Sean, relaying this precious story. Thanks.

What a gift you gave! Words last forever. Kind words, bad words, hurtful words…all with eternal consequences! Yours make a wonderful difference. Thank you for giving us something to look forward to every day. The words never get old or worn out!

Love, love, love!!!!! Was formerly in the classroom and worked with students with special needs including those with Down’s Syndrome. Your story captured the reason that I loved my job on most days. People would say, “Oh, I’d never have that much patience or you have a gift to be able to work with THOSE type students.” They don’t get it. The joy that those sweet kiddos brought to me was the REAL gift. Thanks for the beautiful snapshot of Princess Pink and those those who she “infected” with her joy!

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Sean Dietrich

Sean Dietrich is a columnist, and novelist, known for his commentary on life in the American South. His work has appeared in Southern Living, The Tallahassee Democrat, Good Grit, South Magazine, Alabama Living, the Birmingham News, Thom Magazine, The Mobile Press Register, and he has authored seven books.